Cars are LHD but all boats are RHD in USA. Why?

To help counter torque from the engine under acceleration.

 

Because in international maritime law, boats pass each other port-port?

 

Oooh, good guess! However, this could be because of the driving position and not the cause of it.

Hmm... this is from http://www.amphicars.com/acleft.htm

So why then, even in England, do boats keep right ?

Good question with no clear answer, the favourite theory goes back to the fact that most people are right handed, if that was the case and if the boat was propelled and steered in the same way as a punt then you would want to sit on the right hand side and steer with a pole or board (might be where the word starboard comes from). If this is the case then you would keep to the right so that it is easier to reach the bank.


Recently I heard of another reason that makes a lot of sense, early powered boats used automotive engines and often were simply the engine in the middle of a boat with an extension on the rear of the crankshaft to drive a propeller at the back of the boat. Most engines (and until recently all engines) turn in a clockwise direction when viewed from the rear. A high powered engine particularly in a small round hulled boat will succumb to the laws of physics and the boat will try to turn in the opposite direction to the propeller. This could be seen in the right side lifting slightly when under power, to overcome this early boat builders put the seat, steering gear, and anything else heavy, on the right.*
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More trivia, about cars and driving side: http://www.starimage.co.uk/scda/reference/drive_on_the_left.htm

 

Right-hand drive is absurd!

Most people are right-handed... and left-handed people are better able to adapt to right-handed-favored situations because they've been living with those situations all their lives.

I can't imagine shifting with my left hand. I've even heard (but don't know if it's true) that even the clutch and gas pedals are reversed in some UK cars.

STUPID!

Sorry to my UK friends

 

Not necessarily arguing with, but providing some more information, the idea of countering the rotational effects of the engine:

Ski boats have the configuration of mid engine with prop going to the rear--called "inboard". Two of the top brands, Mastercraft and Ski Nautique, have classically had props that rotate counter to each other. I've skied behind and driven both, and haven't noticed any major definiciencies or differences. However, due to the prop being fixed and the rudder mounted astern of the prop, when reversing, the Mastercraft will only reliably back straight and to the right, but not to the left. The Nautique will go straight or to the left. Pretty much, you get used to what your boat will do in this situation, but it can get hairy when you jump from one brand to another without realizing the difference.

Another note, Mastercraft now provides a balast tank under the passenger seat. Water is pumped into the tank to offset the driver's weight when only the driver and skier are on the water, making both wakes the same size. To think we used to just put a 100 lb. lead disk on the floor of the boat.

 

i have done it several times. it's easier to get used to than you would think. it's kind of fun because it feels so odd aat first. my main problem when driving a RHD car is that i keep turning on the windshield wipers everytime i go for the turn indicator. LOL.

 

Uh-oh, we are in violation...

I will go sit in the corner for an hour. My apologies.

 

Do you need a spanking??
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Most boats (except for Fountain and a few others) are throttled/shifted with the right hand on the throttles mounted to the right gunwale and thus most effecient to be RHD. It is the same as driving a LHD car. It is simple positioning.

There are several race boats that are LHD, but their throttling is done by a separate throttleman or are mounted in a center console that would not be practical on a pleasure boat.

Or, you could get really wacky and consider the boats with DUAL steering and can be simultaneously RHD and LHD.

 

I come from the UK and now live in Canada. I've driven every combination of LHD/RHD vehicles on both sides of the road, and find it easy to drive on either side.

Maybe because I started driving RHD vehicles, I find it easier to shift with my left hand. As I'm right handed, my stronger hand is looking after the more important task of steering (over gearchanging), when I'm shifting gears. I know strictly speaking you shouldn't be changing gears when steering, but in Central London, for example, it is often necessary.

As for the pedals being reversed in UK cars, you need to give the guy who told you that a bonk on the head. It isn't true: LHD and RHD vehicles have the same pedal layout.

Having said that, in the early days of cars, there was no standard pedal layout to start with - some cars had the accelerator (gas pedal) in the middle. For obvious reasons, the layout was soon standardised.

 

Hi Steve,
Tossed this question to a good buddy who started his design career in the marine industry. Here's what they came up with:

"Don't bother me with this, can't you see I'm busy over here?

We came up with several theories, none of which made that much sense, and all of which came out of you-know-where. It's a collective "dunno".

The 'most logical' answers had to do with the majority of the population being right-handed. The starboard side helm station allows you to reach out and grab the dock with your right hand when you dock starboard-side to, which is thought of as the usual way to do it; it also keeps the throttle and shifter off to the side and out of the middle of the boat when operated with your right hand.

No regulations we know of as to which side the helm should be on - many boats have them in the center, obviously, and it wasn't that uncommon for it to be on the port side in older, larger boats. Your guess is as good as mine.

That'll be $150, please."

 

My application of logic fell along these lines, as well as the U.S. being a drive-on-the-right country, putting the driver on the right made it easier when negotiating piers, locks, etc., kind of like mail trucks.